


Clocks ticking backwards

by KenjiroS



Series: A Different Kind of Final Quest [3]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - Steampunk, Alternate Universe - Urban Fantasy, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:34:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24602458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KenjiroS/pseuds/KenjiroS
Summary: Waking up to the rumble of an engine was not something new, Kenjiro thought as he examined the room he was in. He was used to it. It was a byproduct of the whole “running from the law” thing he’d been doing for a while now. The fact that he was alone was definitely a change. And so was the, he guessed, the engine itself. He’d never seen so many gears outside of a Steampunk convention.
Relationships: Kita Shinsuke/Miya Atsumu/Miya Osamu, Shirabu Kenjiro/Kita Shinsuke/Miya Atsumu/Miya Osamu
Series: A Different Kind of Final Quest [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1255949
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	Clocks ticking backwards

**Author's Note:**

> Done in 2 days. Someone have mercy on my soul.
> 
> I hope you enjoy.

**Waking up to the rumble of an engine was not something new, Kenjiro thought as he examined the room he was in. He was used to it. It was a byproduct of the whole “running from the law” thing he’d been doing for a while now. The fact that he was alone was definitely a change. And so was the, he guessed, the engine itself. He’d never seen so many gears outside of a Steampunk convention. And they were all….Well, not all, but enough were spinning to give off the impression they were really doing something.**

**As for the rumble… He listened, holding his breath. It didn’t sound like a car or a train now that he actually paid more attention. It was much slower and heavier, and came from under the floor. It was like nothing he had ever heard and he frowned. Not good.**

**Also, he was tied up. With zipties, if the way whatever it was was cutting into his wrists was a give. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and held it.**

**Okay. He was tied up, way too securely, and in an unfamiliar place. There were quite a lot of explanations and he was sure at least half a dozen of them made sense. No need to panic. Absolutely no need to panic.**

**Think. That was all he had to do. Think.**

**The other people who should have been with him…He did his best to wiggle himself into a seating position which was definitely not helped by how his ankles were tied just as tightly as his wrists. Almost there…He scooted a couple of inches forward as to not to sit on his fingers and shook his fringe away from his eyes.**

**Better.**

**Now, the important parts. His team. Gang. Crew. Whatever. The only two options were that they were either in some other rooms, or that they weren’t. Meaning, he was either kidnapped or they all were. Neither sounded fun but clearing his options always brought clarity. Now that that was done, he needed a plan or three.**

**And they all would start with him getting out of the room and/or the zipties so he chose to give himself time regarding the plans and start with the necessities.**

**He pulled his knees up and to the side to check his ankles first. Cheap zipties which, sadly, in no way meant they would be easy to break out of. Actually, the damn things might be even worse than the high quality because of extra plastic on the wrong places. But he had no reason to worry. His team used this same brand all the time and he knew perfectly well how to break them. He just needed something thin.**

**Anything.**

**Like, for example, a nail or a screwdriver of sorts, or… Or that strange looking pin that looked magnetised to a panel half a yard away from him. Perfect. Now, back to wiggling.**

**Surprisingly, the pin wasn’t even that stuck to the panel. He just pressed his back to the wall for leverage and lifted himself enough to reach it with his teeth and then just pulled it off. It gave zero resistance and he made sure to drop carefully since swallowing or chasing the damn thing across the room was definitely not his idea of fun. Now, knees up, pin in the lock and press…**

**He frowned. Pressed again.**

**The lock didn’t give. What the…Maybe he had to move it a little, or spin it…It was definitely thin enough to get in the lock and thick enough not to go straight through it. So why wasn’t it touching the lock itself ?**

**He pulled and the pin came out. So it wasn’t stuck. It just couldn’t get through. Okay, once more…**

**Holding the metal tighter in his teeth, Kenjiro was just pressing in again when the door opened with a loud click and he startled. Which led to the unfortunate consequence of him dropping pin while still pushing it in the lock of the tie, it going loose and in his mouth only to hit the back of his throat and leave what felt like a long a bleeding gash.**

**He was going to throw up and swallow the pin. And then throw up again. Curled as he was over his own feet, there was no place for the thing to go aside from up and he felt his life start flashing in front of his eyes.**

**\- Fucking…Thousands of suns and moons, what the fuck… - And then his shoulder was gripped in what felt like a vise, the pin – pulled out of his mouth and then he was pushed onto his side to try not to cough any vital organs out. It was a close call.**

**His eyes were watering and he was still dry heaving when he realised there was an actual conversation happening behind him.**

**\- So, where’d that come from ?**

**\- How am I supposed to know ? Just opened the door and it was there. Was I supposed to let it swallow the wrench ? Y’know we need it.**

**\- Yeah but still. Yo, human. – He tried breathing through his nose and it helped a little. Which was probably why it took him a second to realise he was being addressed. Also, wait a minute. “Human”…? – Talking to you.**

**Good for the guy, whoever or whatever he was. Too bad for him that Kenjiro was still trying to swallow his lungs back to his chest cavity and could also taste blood. He had actually ripped his throat open. Damn it.**

**\- Listen there, you little… - And then he was being tugged by the shoulder, whoever had grabbed him at least having the mercy to steady him and let him sit down. Bastard. He turned to glare…And had to blink for a second.**

**The two someones who had been so quick to get handsy were identical. In the low light, with the one who had just grabbed him glaring down, arms crossed, and the one who had saved his life glaring on one knee, arms crossed, they shared the same features all the way to the light eyes. And also all the way to the multiple thick and…fluffy…tails ? Swishing behind them both. He swallowed and cursed himself when the pain cut through his throat, but the image in front of him didn’t change. The two identical betailed strangers were still glaring, eyebrows raised, and still waiting for something. Probably for him to speak.**

**He was in a bad position, both literally and figuratively, maybe drugged though that was still under dispute, and the newcomers didn’t look too happy to see him. So, the least he could do was introduce himself and try to figure out what was happening.**

**He opened his mouth…And paused. Swallowed and cursed himself. Tried again…**

**And yet no sound came out. He couldn’t even shape the words on his tongue. He…didn’t know how. This was wrong. This was all wrong, why couldn’t he speak ? He knew how to, remembered vividly what felt like a few minutes ago being in a car with his team and getting ready to follow the plan. And talking. Now…**

**He opened his mouth again and…nothing happened.**

**\- ‘Cause of course it’s not talking. Yo, human. – He glared at the man kneeling on the floor. – Yeah, I’m talking to you. What’re you doin’ here ?**

**\- Better question’s how he got here. – The other man’s tails had calmed down but he was still holding his arms tight and his eyes – narrow. – Shields’re still up over the whole ship.**

**Ship ? He was in water ? It would explain the weird engine, definitely, though the clockwork was still off.**

**\- Damned if I know. – They shared a look and the kneeling guy sighed. – Captain won’t be happy.**

**His…brother ? Cousin ? Unfortunate stranger ? Clicked his tongue and shook his head.**

**\- Sure’s the moons won’t be. Well. Doesn’t really matter. And, - He smirked. – if someone can make ‘im talk…**

**And then, before he realised there was a blade up and personal to him, his ankles were free and he was being pulled to stand with very little regard to his comfort. Or, he hissed, his health.**

**\- Oh, so you can make sounds. – The man pulling him by the arm curled his lips in a grimace but still paused to give Kenjiro time to roll his ankles and get the blood flowing back. How long had he been on the floor ? And, based on the two men’s reaction, was he the only one here ? Or was it that they just haven’t found the others yet ? – Move it, human. Let’s go see the Captain.**

**The Captain, it turned out, had even more…tails. Silver, tipped with black, and Kenjiro counted nine in the long pause they made at the door. There was something about the number that was nagging him but he was too busy staring at the sheer amount of fur happening in front of him. And they were moving, too, slow, lazy swishes seemingly independent of each other, and he was entranced.**

**\- Shut you up, didn’t it ? – He didn’t even turn to glare at the twin who’d quipped that. Because the man at the… huge ornate wheel had just turned around and cool light eyes met his. – Captain.**

**The man blinked at Kenjiro. Well. At least one person seemed as confused as he felt. He didn’t even look angry or defensive, unlike the twins. No, he was just studying Kenjiro with a calm curiousity. Like whatever he was doing there was many things but definitely not a threat. He raised his chin.**

**The Captain didn’t react. At all.**

**\- We found’im in one of the engine rooms. – The twin still holding onto his arm shook him and Kenjiro glared from under his fringe. With his wrists still behind his back there wasn’t much he could do. Especially since the vessel they were all currently on seemed to be operated by the huge display of levers, buttons and dials, all in a soft bronze colour and all with gears openly spinning. The whole construction was giving off a faint rhythmic tickick, like a slightly sped up clock, and it was almost hypnotic.**

**Also, the three people he had met so far all had multiple furry tails. So, there was that, he guessed. He vaguely considered head trauma but he’d had a few concussions back when he’d been playing volleyball in school, and nothing had gotten even close to the trip he was currently on. He was also not on any kind of narcotics or medication, and he didn’t even touch the weed his fellow criminals engaged in sometimes. Or the alcohol. The lack of control over his own body and actions repulsed him on a cellular level.**

**This wasn’t what this felt like. Everything was corporeal and solid and just there. Real. And since he didn’t appear to have many options, he decided to go along for now and see what happened in the future.**

**And he really wanted to at least touch the wheel. The thing was almost as tall as him, carved and shiny, and he knew it was childish but…It was an enormous ship wheel. It was calling his name.**

**\- Was anything disturbed ? – The Captain spoke without raising his voice, still calm and, unless Kenjiro was mistaken, unblinking.**

**\- Nothing. – The twin who wasn’t holding him crossed his arms and inclined his head in the general direction they had come from. – Windows, doors, sigils and salt, nothin’s been touched.**

**\- The silver amulet from Akaashi’s black. – The two men turned to twin number 2 whose grip above Kenjiro’s elbow had relaxed a little. – I think it’s done for.**

**The Captain nodded, the movement so miniscule it was almost not there.**

**\- We will have to express our thanks when we are close to their home, then. Akaashi truly is an artist when it comes to amulets. Now. You. – It took his a moment to realise the Captain was talking to him. – Do you have a name ?**

**He opened his mouth and…Couldn’t make a sound. Well. Perfect. Just perfect. Peachy. Amazing. Truly…**

**\- I think he’s gotten a problem somewhere’long the way from wherever he’s from to our engine room. – The Captain cocked his head and the tails swished. Seriously, how did…**

**The guy had fox ears. Kenjiro sighed, doing his best not to make it too obvious. Kitsune. Freaking. Kitsune. All three of them. He knew, from the stories when he’d been a child visiting shrines, that nine tails meant trouble. The twins didn’t have that but the Captain ? Shit.**

**Okay, he had to remain calm. Since he was about 98% sure he wasn’t drugged or in coma, this meant he had somehow ended on a ship with three Yokai, one of whom was close to a god. Nothing to worry about. The Captain seemed like a reasonable man, maybe they could talk it out and they would let him go if he swore on his doul or whatever never to talk about them. Yes. That sounded like a solid plan.**

**\- Look up, little one. – He startled, blinking at the Kitsune who was suddenly way too close. His attention had wavered for a moment and the man had gotten deep within his personal space. – Let me see…**

**The Captain carefully touched his chin, looking him in the eye. They were of equal height which didn’t happen that often. He was used to his friends all being taller than him and, based on the individuals currently sulking behind him, so was the Kyubi currently touching his face.**

**Light grey eyes and split pupils. And grey ears tipped with black. He wondered how inappropriate it was in Kitsune culture to try to pet them.**

**Considering the twins’ reaction to literally anything, it would probably be the fastest way he could ever lose the arm to the elbow. At best. So he waited.**

**The Captain turned his face to the left, blinked, tilted his chin down, blinked a little more, and then let go, taking a step back. Was the sudden and unexplained appearance of a stranger on his ship not disturb him or anything ? With how the twins had manhandled him, he would have thought it was a first. Especially since Twin 2 had mentioned there was no sign of forced entry on the vessel.**

**\- The voice part will be easy. – The Captain turned and headed for one of the big carved and shiny cupboards lining the walls. Seriously, had was everything in the room warm coloured wood and bronze, and also very gear-y ? They definitely knew how to rock an aesthetic and also were probably uber-rich. – Atsumu, get his shirt off. There’s something else that’s bothering me and it’s somewhere in his chest.**

**Wait, what ?**

**But Twin 2, no, he had a name now, Atsumu ? Was tugging him to a polished table with a huge shifting map of…something, threedimensional and detailed. He chose to sit on the first chair he saw since he had the feeling the other option would involved more manhandling and he definitely wasn’t going to make it easy on the man…Yokai…whatever just because he was in a bad mood. As far as he was concerned nothing so far had been his fault so they could all grow up and show some compassion. The jerks.**

**The scissors appeared again and before he knew it, his wrists were free from the zip tie. The Kitsune inspected them for a moment before dropping the cut plastic in Kenjiro’s lap with a rather unpleasant grin.**

**\- On one hand, kudos for knowing how to get out of those. On the other…- The man showed sharp canine teeth and two of his four tails made a low swishing sound. – Someone already knew that. Now, hands up.**

**What.**

**The grin disappeared.**

**\- M’not going to touch you or what’ver you’re thinking. Captain wants to look at your chest.**

**It didn’t seem like he had much choice so he slowly peeled off his t-shirt and dropped it on the floor. The Kitsune grimaced and but didn’t say anything. Although Kenjiro could just see how much he wanted to. Oh, well. The man frowned for another moment before turning around to pad across the room and rummage through some drawers. The other twin was nowhere to be seen and the Captain was carefully measuring glass marbled in a cup. Weird but okay.**

**At least the room was warm. And stuffed full of things.**

**Actual scrolls lined one wall, in a pretty labelled honeycomb shelf. The map on the table beside his elbow looked made with cubes to show water and mountains but there was also towers and castles and trees. And boats on top of the blue. A whole another wall of mixed clockwork that barely resembled several clocks put in a blender and then thrown at said was. Though the fact they were ticking and moving, measuring…something, probably meant there was more to them than just looking good.**

**What wasn’t there were windows. The panel he had first seen the Captain at was lined with screens currently too far for him to see, but no actual view to the outside. Odd.**

**Which, for some reason, brought his attention back to the plastic in his lap. What had twin number 2 said ? Someone had known he would know…**

**Super glue. Fuck. He closed his eyes and then looked back at it. Of course he hadn’t managed to open the mechanism. The things was superglued shut and the actual glue was blocking the opening which he would have usually used to push on the little lock. Fuck.**

**So, whoever had tied him had known he had some idea how those worked.**

**Not cops. Not military because no self respecting agency would use something this cheap. Or such dirty tricks. Odd. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to get it under some control. Probably didn’t work but it was the effort that counted, didn’t it ?**

**The Captain had finished doing whatever he had been doing and got back to him. A tall glass full of colourful marbles. Kenjiro wasn’t sure what he was going to be doing with those.**

**\- The silence charm will be easy do remove. There is something else that’s worrying but… - The Kyubi carefully placed the glass on the table, away from the giant map. – One step at a time. Open your mouth, please.**

**Kenjiro blinked in question and the man stared until he slowly opened his lips. So many questions.**

**\- A little more…Perfect. – The Kitsune clicked a small torch on. – Get your tongue out a little. A little more…Lovely.**

**\- It’s there ? – Twin number one was blowing bubbles with a bright pink gum he’s acquired in the last minute. The Captain hummed. – This looks low level.**

**\- He’s human. There’s no need for much power to be put in the sigil itself. And it’s just meant to stop him from talking. – The Kitsune clicked the torch off. – He should be able to write and everything else. Now, little human…**

**Little ? Kenjiro leaned back. The Kitsune was the last person who was supposed to be calling him “little” but whatever. He would wait until he was off the ship to curse them. Just in case.**

**\- Here. – It was another glass with something clear and mildly bubbly. – Sink’s over there. – And he pointed over Kenjiro’s shoulder. – Swish it around your mouth and spit. Try to get at least three runs out of it and then we can talk.**

**And then he walked around the table, lowing himself to look at a few of the boxy trees on an especially sharp cliff. Kenjiro waited for another moment before looking back at Twin Number One. Who just shrugged and nodded at the wall that was, again, behind Kenjiro.**

**He slowly picked up the glass and got up.**

**So. He was half naked on what he guessed was a kind of naval vessel with so far three Yokai. And there was a…how had the Captain called it ? A letter ? Hieroglyph ? Something in his mouth stopping him from speaking. And there was another something in his chest area doing…something else.**

**At least the three men looked competent even if the twins were apparently prone to manhandling. Still. He didn’t have much choice and they looked nonviolent so far.**

**Which was when he reached the sink. Again, beautiful shiny bronze, with actual octopi ornaments. Seriously, the entire place was out of a Steampunk enthusiast’s wet dream. Aside from the crew’s attire – all three were in loose and soft t-shirts, and the twins had been in actual sweatpants. Maybe it was easier on the tails ? He was curious though not curious enough to ask. So far.**

**He sniffed the liquid and, when that didn’t produce any results, he took a slow and careful sip. Tiny.**

**Club soda. He blinked, not swallowing. It was club soda. Nice and cold, just waiting for the gin but come on. Soda ? He shrugged and took a bigger sip, rinsing his mouth. There went nothing.**

**After the weirdest cleansing ritual he had ever heard of, he turned to look back at the room. Twin one was leaning on the table and twin two was on a chair right beside him, their tails mixing and curling around in what looked like completely instinctive movement. He wondered…but didn’t ask. It wasn’t his business, after all. The Captain was calmly looking at him from across the table, unblinking. Did the man live on eyedrops or something ?**

**\- Now, little human. Your name ?**

**He was almost sure it wouldn’t work because club soda ? But he couldn’t exactly refuse and he would admit, at least to himself, that curiousity was too strong.**

**\- Kenjiro Shirabu. – Oh, wow. It actually…worked ? He frowned. Weird. Really weird. Huh. The captain, on the other hand, seemed completely nondisturbed.**

**\- My name is Shinsuke Kita. And this is my crew. – The twins looked up from where they were observing a tiny tower figuring. – Atsumu Miya. – Twin number two raised his eyebrows. – And Osamu Miya. – Twin number one nodded. – Welcome aboard to Inarizaki.**

**He…snorted. Kita, again gave zero reaction side from a curious tilt of his head.**

**\- Is there a problem ? – Was there ? Was he the only one seeing the joke ?**

**\- The ship’s name is Inarizaki.**

**\- Yes ? It was the name of the full team we had before everyone went to their own way. Why ?**

**He opened his mouth to ask how much more of a cliché the whole thing could become but something in the calm question in the man’s eyes made him pause. He was completely serious, Kenjiro realised. He had named the ship after something important and just because it sounded like the world’s lamest anime wordplay, it was still the actual name of the actual ship of this actual Captain.**

**He was a bastard but he wasn’t that much of a bastard. So he swallowed the jab and nodded.**

**\- Nothing. Just curious why… - Damn, now he needed to make something up and do it fast. – All the octopi and stuff when it’s all about the fox gods ? – Talk about lame.**

**\- Oh. – The twins were laughing at him. He could see their identical grins from under almost identical hairstyles, and they were having the time of their lives laughing him scrapping to find something to say. Jerks. – I just like the theme.**

**And then the Captain waved back at the chair Kenjiro had vacated.**

**\- You mind sitting down again ? There is something I want to check.**

**So he walked to the chair and lowered himself. It wasn’t like he could do anything else. And he was pretty sure that while Kita had given him an out, the man had caught the insult to his ship which, if what he had heard of sailors, was probably the greatest insult he could have dealt. Curse him and his big mouth.**

**\- Let me see that sigil again. – Kenjiro sighed but opened his mouth. Kita just hummed again and nodded to himself. – Perfect. It’s been distorted beyond use and will disappear by itself. Now, let me see this…**

**And then he poked at Kenjiro’s side, over his ribs, and he felt his entire body spasm from pain. What the hell…**

**He hissed, curling an arm around the spot and jumping to look at Kita who was just kneeling beside him, face still calm. What was that ? It had felt…**

**He patted his side. Raw. Twisting to look down, he saw a huge burnt…something in his flesh, red and white and shiny, that had most definitely not been there last time he’s been awake. He looked back at Kita whose tails were perfectly still in an arch behind his back, and tried asking what was happening. Or what was that.**

**\- So you don’t know this is here. Interesting. – The Kyubi seemed to mostly think aloud and not really talk to Kenjiro. Which was fine because Kenjiro was too busy panicking.**

**\- What…is that ? And why didn’t I feel it ?**

**\- What’s it ? – Osamu had appeared over Kita’s shoulder, leaning to look at the burn. – Huh, a coin stamp. Haven’t seen one of those since that time the owls tried to chain Akaashi’s shifter. – The Kitsune curled his lips in a grimace. – Nasty thing. So, little human, where’d you get that ? Because most people don’t even know what that is, what’s left for doing it properly and activating it.**

**\- It’s active ? – Atsumu’s voice came over the table but Kenjiro didn’t turn. All he could do was look down at the burn and the black…metal ? showing thorugh. Was there something in his flesh ? What was it ?**

**\- Get it out. – The two Yokai in front of him blinked back. – Get it out ! – He almost went to try to scratch it off, but a beclawed hand curled around his wrist and Atsumu appeared from behind him.**

**\- Careful, human. You don’t want to damage the skin more than…**

**\- Just take it out ! – He tugged but the man’s grip was too solid. – Fucking…whatever that is, it needs to come out ! – Why weren’t they getting it ? Why wasn’t anyone…**

**\- Oh, definitely. – The Captain got up from his crouch. – But there is no need for it to hurt or for you to torture yourself. We can numb the area and just…take the coin out. It looks new so it probably hasn’t grown into the flesh.**

**\- What…is that ? – Osamu was studying him like an extremely colourful bug, Atsumu was still holding his wrist and Kita…Kita was flipping through a thick book with mirror covers.**

**\- It’s a coin stamp. A really big one, too. Fast. – The Kyubi nodded and paused on a page. – Heat and attitude activated. You were in the engine room and with the speed it’s been fusing with your skin, a few more minutes there during flight it would have melted it into bone. – Kita looked up to meet his eyes. – Ten more and it would be under your ribs, maybe onto the heart. And trust me… - The man sighed, closing the tome. – Those are a bitch to get out. Now… Get him to cabin nine.**

**And with that, he turned around left the room, tails swaying gently. And leaving Kenjiro alone with the twins. Atsumu tugged on his wrist, only a little, but Kenjiro sighed and got up with no protest, the other Yokai walking softly behind him.**

**He still didn’t have his shirt on and was doing his best not to look at his side where the huge burn was still fresh and raw, glistening open flesh and metal showing in the low light. He tried. The fact that the twins and Kita had been so interested in it and the Captain’s words that it was still close to going deeper were making him want to use his own fingers to peel it off but apparently that was a bad idea. And he was pretty sure they would just tie him up again and drug him to take it out if he resisted again. The way Osamu had been looking at it made him think the Kitsune really wanted…what ? The metal thing under his skin ? The skin itself ? Kenjiro didn’t know.**

**On the other hand, the easy solution for his lack of voice had worked so maybe those three knew what they were talking about. Maybe.**

**The hallways were carpeted and brightly lit, with fancy industrial style lamps he had seen only in the most hipster cafes, and hnging potted plants and curled gently in ruffled green and red branches. The whole place was beautifully done and while he couldn’t feel the sway of water, it looked like a super luxurious themed cruise ship. It was kind of nice, he considered as he allowed himself to enjoy feeling the thick maroon carpet under his feet. Who knew when he would get the opportunity to visit such a place in the future ?**

**He also had no idea how big the ship actually was. They had gone up and down quite a few staircases on their way from the engine room. And now they had gone in a different direction, though different doors and halls, and he wasn’t even lost. He just didn’t know where they were or where they were going. The Captain had said “Cabin Nine” but that meant literally nothing.**

**\- Ya know, little human, no reason to be scared. – Kenjiro looked up to where Atsumu was giving his a wide and rather sharp grin. – We know what we’re doin’.**

**\- Yeah, I could tell by how someone managed to break in your ship without leaving a trace.**

**The Yokai’s eyes narrowed which probably meant Kenjiro had, once again, done something dumb just because. Which couldn’t be good since he was on the Yokai’s ship and, apparently, his survival relied heavily on them doing…something. Maybe antagonizing them wasn’t the best course of action but he couldn’t help it. Something in the Kitsune’s entire demeanor was rubbing him the wrong way and he had to snap back. Osamu was a little quieter and just frowned a lot. Both at Kenjiro and his own brother.**

**He still wasn’t sure about the Captain. The man was too odd.**

**Good thing was, he didn’t have that much time to ponder over that. Atsumu paused by a huge solid wood door and Osamu walked around them, pulling a key on a chain around his neck and unlocking the, Kenjiro counted, six locks. All hidden in the wall.**

**They really were devoted to the aesthetic. To be fair, if he was rich enough and his job actually allowed it…Though he still wasn’t sure if his taste would allow him to keep things that classy. He was nothing if not a realist with himself. He paused for a moment, trying to gather himself, and this time Atsumu didn’t pull him in the room. The Kitsune just waited, tails quiet, and Kenjiro rolled his shoulders, taking a step over the threshold. No time like the present.**

**Inside…Well, it was clearly a single room, with the one present bed and all, but the sheer number of cupboards, chests and tables was overwhelming. Glass and bronze everywhere, and also a disturbing amount of mirrors of all shapes and sizes, the air smelled like sea breeze and a pair of huge windows, the first he had ever seen on the vessel, were open. The white lacy curtains curled with the light wind and he could see the pure white of the clouds through them.**

**Idyllic.**

**\- Here, little human. – He turned to look at Osamu who was waving at the sole bed.**

**\- I have a name, you know. – All he got was a shrug. Rude. – What are you going to do ? - Osamu blew a pink bubble. Kenjiro waited but the Yokai didn’t seem generoud with the answers.**

**\- We’ll numb the area and take the coin out. Lie down. – When Kejiro just crossed his arms over his bare chest, the Kitsune frowned. – You’ll live. The longer you wait, the deeper captain will have to cut. And coin stamps poison you even before they hit their target. – The man raised his eyebrows and for the first time Kenjiro noted that while they were both light eyed, like their Captain, the twins didn’t have the slit pupils. They had the fluffy ears, though.**

**\- What happens if you don’t take it out ? – Because he was most definitely tempted to reach for the closest scalpel he could see on a table by his hip and cut the thing off himself, skin and pain be damned, but he was curious.**

**\- Tch. – Atsumu just shook his head.**

**\- Can’t tell without looking at the coin itself. – Osamu had dropped in what looked like the world’s least comfortable hard-backed chair and was looking at Kenjiro. – It’s a curse either way. A point of entry. You’re young a look healthy. This thing ? An open door for whatever it was meant for to just walk in your mind. – The grin came back. Kenjiro almost took a step back. – It would wear you like a pulsing pink meat suit. Probably won’t even bother kicking you out or destroying whatever excuse for a sould you got in there. You’d be left screaming in your own head.**

**\- The coin simply shows what it is granting entry to. – Kenjiro didn’t jump even if it was a close call. Kita was back, wearing black gloves and something covering him from his chin down only to disappear under his loose t-shirt. – It is big and sinking fast which means it is a powerful being and also that it wants to make its home in your head fast.**

**Kenjiro sat a little straighter.**

**\- How do I know you’re telling me the truth ? – A low laugh on his left made him turn to look back at Osamu.**

**\- You got any other choice, human ? ‘Cause I’m all ears.**

**\- I still have a name. – Osamu snorted.**

**\- And I still don’t care. – The Kitsune got up, pushing the chair under the closest table. – We’re doing you a huge favour so you can show some gratitude.**

**\- Well, I don’t remember asking for…**

**\- Lie down, please. – And before he knew it, he had one knee on the bed. Damn it. Kita really knew how to abuse the Captain tone and not get any objections. Kenjiro would be jealous if it wasn’t so impressive. As it was, he was just envious. – On your other side. Thank you. Now, I’m just going to numb this. Let me know if it hurts.**

**What happened after that Kenjiro could only describe as…weird. He definitely hadn’t expected the anesthetic to be freezing and yet when Kita rubbed a thick layer of something that smelled of peaches and vanilla over his entire side, the place grew colder and colder until he couldn’t feel anything. And they checked. He didn’t turn to look with what. Just answered when they asked him and probably poked him with a needle or something. He hoped it had been a needle. And since he was awake, during the entire procedure Atsumu had sat across from him, tails swishing and, unless he was mistaken, ears moving slightly. Also, unlike his Captain, the man actually blinked. The whole package was enough to distract him. Not from the freezing cold but definitely from what was probably happening in his very flesh.**

**He didn’t know how long it took. Osamu and Kita didn’t talk throughout the entire thing. There were a few faint distinctly metal clinking sounds and yet he didn’t try to look. He had the nauseating feeling he wouldn’t like it if he saw it the way it was at that moment.**

**So he focused on Atsumu’s four tails that seemed to move independently from each other and how his ears blended in his fair hair. Seemed good enough.**

**Coming back to Tokyo after the surreal dream of Inarizaki was more than weird. He glanced down at his watch. He’d been gone, officially, for two weeks even if Osamu had confirmed he’d been on the ship for less than five hours, including how long it took them to wrap his chest and give him a sigil painted on sugar paper to melt on his tongue if it hurt too much.**

**Now, he had a job to do.**

**_\- What do you mean, with the food ?_ **

**_\- You were drugged up pretty seriously for them to do this. – Atsumu had shrugged. – People don’t just sleep through a coin stamp. It’s a heavily cursed brand that puts a poisonous metal in the skin while it’s still bubbling. You think local covers that ?_ **

**_\- So what, a Subway cashier tried to sacrifice me for their cult ?_ **

**_\- This was taken with water on March the 7 th five minutes past midnight. _ **

**_And he had been in their safe house then. His leader had thrown an unsealed water bottle at him when he’d woken up from a nightmare. Dam it._ **

**_\- Why ?_ **

**_\- A favour. – Osamu was still chewing his gum. – You give a demon of this caliber an entry point to your world and a safe vessel, and they can do a lot of damage. Demons would trade a lot for something like this._ **

**_\- So, money ? Power ? Luck ? Women ? What ? – He didn’t even feel hysterical. For some reason the thought he’d been sold like a piece of meat didn’t exactly upset him. He’d never really been that close to those people. True, he’d never imagined they’d sacrifice him for cash but one never knew where life would take them._ **

**_\- Probably all those._ **

**_He had nodded at the three them._ **

**_\- You think you can drop me off somewhere ?_ **

****

**** **Money and power meant no police. Which, if he could be honest, actually made things much more easy. The son of one of the most influential politicians and his gang of rich kinds robbing banks and dealing cocaine ? He pulled his hood deeper. Proper media wouldn’t really do much but that wasn’t what he was aiming for anyway. Otherwise, he would have gone to the police.**

**No, it was the commentary online platforms that held power nowadays. Them and their millions upon millions of viewers. And while he wasn’t surprised he had been sold for cash, he wasn’t about to just lie down and take it. Nope, he smiled as he signed the forms for the parcels he was mailing. Oh, if they had thought they could pay with him, he was going to show them why that was always a mistake. He hoped they had good lawyers. Not that it would matter but at least someone had to make some money from the scandals that were about to blow up.**

**He only regretted he wouldn’t be able to watch it all go down in person. But…he’d never been one for missed opportunities.**

**Parcels mailed, he pulled the hood of his borrowed sweatshirt back on and left the office. This was all done. Now, it was time for the next leaf. A new page. He was more than ready, especially when he saw the twins, sans tails or fluffy ears, wait for him looking exceptionally bored, beside the door of a small restaurant.**

**\- Done ? – He smiled and Atsumu raised his eyebrows.**

**\- Yep. This will be good.**

**\- You, humans, are the worst sometimes. – Kenjiro shrugged.**

**\- Can’t argue. Now, how are we doing this ?**

**Osamu hummed before pulling an ofuda from his pocket and sticking it on the restaurant door.**

**\- Come on. This should get us on the deck. – And he didn’t even hesitate before taking a step over the threshold.**

**\- The ship is flying. Why, the hell, is the ship flying ?**

**\- Because it does ? It has always been doing it ? What, do you want it to dig through rocks or something ?**

**Author's Note:**

> Comments give me life so keep them coming !


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